Dana Walden, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, recalled the early days of Glee, the Ryan Murphy musical comedy-drama series that had a tough initial reception but taught her some key lessons.
“First, through Ryan’s eyes, I got to understand how harsh criticism feels to a creator, particularly if the story is personal,” she said as she accepted the Founders Award at the International Emmys in New York City Monday night.
Second, “the feedback wasn’t really for him, it was for the executives. It was going to be our job to protect Glee and teach an audience how to understand something different and original.”
Glee, co-created with Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, premiered on Fox in 2009 and won Murphy won a Primetime Emmy Award for directing the pilot episode. The series ran for six seasons. Before Disney acquired Fox in 2018, Walden was the Chair and CEO of Fox Television Group. She was introduced by Murphy, who said Glee was the worst testing pilot in history. It wasn’t, Walden said, “trust me. But it also didn’t get the reaction it deserved.”
In a lovig introduction before Walden took the stage, Murphy recalled a meeting soon after he had his first hit Nip/Tuck in the early 2000s. “I still felt rudderless,” he said. “She didn’t ask me about my next hit idea or audition me in any way. She asked me, ‘What do you want to be in this world and how do I help you get there?’ And I thought this is the person I have been looking for my whole life.”
“My approach has never been complicated,” Walden said. “Find singular voices … and help them do their best work; And most importantly, build a culture of creative risk-taking. I saw the power of that early in my career working on shows like The X-Files, Ally McBeal, 24, The Simpsons and so many more. Those shows all have two things in common – they were creatively ambitious and excellent. And, though they were made in the U.S., they were also huge hits around the world. Because great storytelling is truly universal,” she told a packed ballroom at the New York Hilton.
“I know this award is typically given to the people who create the stories. And rightfully so. But I view this honor as recognition of a vital partnership. One that exists between the creator who dreams the dream, and the team that believes in it enough to clear the path.”
Walden oversees Disney’s full portfolio of entertainment media, news and content businesses globally, including shared oversight of Disney+ and Hulu, as well as technology and ad sales. Under her leadership, Disney+ operates in more than 150 countries and 40 languages.
With Disney’s board of directors set to name a new CEO early next year Walden is considered one of the leading candidates to replace chief executive Robert Iger. She offered a shout-out to her company and her boss tonight. The belief “that great stories can come from anywhere and belong to everyone is at the heart of the Walt Disney company. It is also a guiding principle of my mentor and friend, Bob Iger. Bob’s always championed the simple yet powerful idea that if you get the storytelling right, everything else will follow. No matter how much the world changes, people will always want to feel connected, and they will always need to be entertained. And no one does that better than Disney.”
The International Emmys hosted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos is underway handing out awards in 16 categories.
João Roberto Marinho, chairman and president of Grupo Globo, was honored with the directorate award.
Robert Halmi, CEO of Great Point Studios, is Gala chair.
